Left ventricular summit premature ventricular contractions treated by venous ethanol infusion: Scar assessment by magnetic resonance imaging

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2023 Oct;46(10):1235-1238. doi: 10.1111/pace.14680. Epub 2023 Mar 12.

Abstract

Left ventricular (LV) summit premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are often unresponsive to radiofrequency (RF) ablation. Retrograde venous ethanol infusion (RVEI) can be a valuable alternative in this scenario. A 43-year-old woman without structural heart disease presented with LV summit PVCs unresponsive to RF ablation because of their deep-seated origin. Unipolar pace mapping performed through a wire inserted into a branch of the distal great cardiac vein (GCV) demonstrated 12/12 concordance with the clinical PVCs thus indicating close proximity to PVCs' origin. RVEI abolished the PVCs without complications. Subsequently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidenced an intramural myocardial scar produced by ethanol ablation. In conclusion, RVEI effectively and safely treated PVC arising from a deep site in the LVS. The scar provoked by chemical damage was well characterized by MRI imaging.

Keywords: deep substrate; late gadolinium enhancement; left ventricular summit; premature ventricular contractions; retrograde coronary venous ethanol infusion.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Catheter Ablation* / methods
  • Cicatrix / surgery
  • Ethanol
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ventricular Premature Complexes* / surgery

Substances

  • Ethanol